I Found a Nicer Gift at a Better Price - Now What Should I Do?

[katev]

Today is my husband's birthday and I need to wrap his gift very soon. He is difficult to buy for but I recently discovered that the boutique black coach briefcase that I bought for him a few years ago is showing serious signs of wear (he is hard on bags) so I decided to buy a new briefcase for him. He likes a traditional briefcase and not a messenger bag or a tote or anything that might "look like a purse!" to his eyes.

I didn't want to spend $400 to $600 for a boutique briefcase because he is so rough on a bag, but at the Aurora, IL Outlet I found a very nice MFF Bond Briefcase F55409 FD7 in black pebbled leather with saddle accents. It has silver hardware and a black fabric lining. The outlet price was $299 and I paid $224 with the current tiered coupon. It is an attractive, structured bag and the leather is a bit stiff so it might hold up well under rough handling. I was very pleased with my purchase and revealed it in the link below.

Yesterday I ran over to the Rosemont, IL outlet near my job at lunchtime to return a couple of wallets. While I was there I stopped in the Men's store and found an absolutely gorgeous (IMO) FP delete Metropolitan Briefcase in Midnight Blue Soft Pebbled Leather. It has Gunmetal Hardware, and tan suede-cloth lining. The retail price for this bag in the boutique store was $495 but it was in clearance for $147 and I got it for a mere $110 with the coupon!

I also picked up a nice MFF universal phone patchwork leather wallet for him (F57793 IND) for $22 with the coupon, the pebbled leather portion of this wallet exactly matches the briefcase.

I love the midnight blue FP delete bag and wallet but I am worried that I bought it more for my tastes and that I had picked the MFF black bag because I thought it was something he would like. I actually like the strap connections on the sides of the MFF bag better - but he never carried the long strap on his old bag so that doesn't matter.

The price isn't the deal-breaker in this case, I just want a nice briefcase that he will really like. Maybe I should give him both and let him pick the one he likes best?

Here are some pics of the midnight blue briefcase and wallet, what do you think? Is this something a guy would like?

I will show pics of both bags next - please help me to decide, I am running out of time!

https://forum.purseblog.com/threads...oupon-but-for-somebody-else-this-time.960548/

 

[katev]

Here are side by side pics of the 2 bags but the black bag came out very dark. I will post the coach drill-down pics next.

 

[katev]

Here are the coach drill down pics of the FP delete midnight blue Metropolitan Briefcase and the black and saddle MFF Bond Briefcase, which do you think is best for a guy that is tough on bags and likes a traditional briefcase? I have also included a pic of the universal phone wallet I bought to go with the blue bag.

 

[snibor]

I'd let him choose. You can just say you liked them both and couldn't decide. If you pick one you'll always wonder if it was the right one

 

[elvisfan4life]

My OH uses black for work amd choc for casual but navy would not be him at all is it a colour your husband would use? Personally i prefer the black too

 

[katev]

My OH uses black for work amd choc for casual but navy would not be him at all is it a colour your husband would use? Personally i prefer the black too

He tends to wear black or brown shoes and black, brown, khaki, or navy clothes.

 

[katev]

Oh good grief! I just got into the new Factory Online Sale and they have a gorgeous $600 FP delete black Bleecker briefcase with brass hardware for $171 minus the coupon discount and with free shipping - and it is marked "almost gone!". See the pics below.

Bleecker leather is the best and I am sure that this is exactly the bag that he would love. Now what?! I will have to make up my mind quickly - but then I will never look at briefcases again!

 

[MKB0925]

Oh good grief! I just got into the new Factory Online Sale and they have a gorgeous $600 FP delete black Bleecker briefcase with brass hardware for $177 minus the coupon discount and it is marked "almost gone!". See the pics below. Bleecker leather is the best and I am sure that this is exactly the bag that he would love. Now what?! I will have to make up my mind quickly - but then never look at briefcases again!

I like this one a lot too!

I like the black best too!

 

[yellowbernie]

Oh good grief! I just got into the new Factory Online Sale and they have a gorgeous $600 FP delete black Bleecker briefcase with brass hardware for $177 minus the coupon discount and it is marked "almost gone!". See the pics below. Bleecker leather is the best and I am sure that this is exactly the bag that he would love. Now what?! I will have to make up my mind quickly - but then never look at briefcases again!

If this is the one you know he would love, then this is the one I would get him. I would show him the other 2 and this one and let him choose.

 

[katev]

I've just ordered the black bleecker from the online sale, he will just have to wait a bit for his birthday gift! I got it for $136.80 with free shipping (MSRP = $598). This item is now marked "sold out" so I am glad that I grabbed it.

What a roller coaster, and all for a bag that I know he will start beating up just as soon as he gets it!

 

[MKB0925]

I've just ordered the black bleecker from the online sale, he will just have to wait a bit for his birthday gift! I got it for $136.80 with free shipping (MSRP = $598). This item is now marked "sold out" so I am glad that I grabbed it.

What a roller coaster and for a bag that he will start beating up just as soon as he gets it!

Awesome katev! He will love it for sure! The leather looks gorg!

 

[faintlymacabre]

I'm glad you snagged that Bleecker!! He'll love it. You've put so much thought and consideration into choosing his gift.

 

[katev]

I like this one a lot too! I like the black best too!

If this is the one you know he would love, then this is the one I would get him. I would show him the other 2 and this one and let him choose.

Awesome katev! He will love it for sure! The leather looks gorg!

I'm glad you snagged that Bleecker!! He'll love it. You've put so much thought and consideration into choosing his gift.

Thanks! I had my doubts about the first 2 bags but I tried to make the best choice available; but I am confident that the Bleecker is exactly the kind of bag that he will love.

Right now I am totally sick of briefcases but I am really happy that I had the chance to buy the right bag and at a great price! And I am also glad that I ordered it before I wrapped the other 2 bags!

The funny thing is that this is the first time I've received an early VIP invitation to the Factory Online Sale and so I was able to snag the Bleecker before it "sold out". So often I see items marked "sold out" on the FOS and I wonder "How can it already be sold out if I just received the invitation a moment ago?" I also sometimes wondered if they send out the invitations alphabetically and get to the "V" late.

But finally this was my chance to snag the last bag so that it became "sold out" right after I bought it. If I had received this invitation later then I would have been disappointed not to have gotten it - so it's all good and I am very happy.

I've printed out the pics of the Bleecker and put them in the Birthday card with a note that says "This bag is on order for you!" and I sure my husband will be happy with his gift and will not mind the delay. I may or may not show him the 2 other bags because I feel certain that the Bleecker is the right one; and he might think that I am nuts for buying so many briefcases!

Thanks for listening to me go on and on in anguish about briefcases! TPFers are the best!

 

[kells1983]

Is the navy one skinnier than the other two? I mean, depth-wise, .. I know you made the decision but I would suggest one that's not too skinny because that's my pet peeve with work bags... like if I pack more than my laptop and notebook (i.e. lunch/snacks, sunglasses, water bottle, umbrella), it's totally bulging!

 

[katev]

Is the navy one skinnier than the other two? I mean, depth-wise, .. I know you made the decision but I would suggest one that's not too skinny because that's my pet peeve with work bags... like if I pack more than my laptop and notebook (i.e. lunch/snacks, sunglasses, water bottle, umbrella), it's totally bulging!

The navy one is a little skinnier than the other, that was one of my concerns because he always overstuffs his bags. The Bleecker looks nice and roomy, thanks!

I had to take the commuter train into the city, and walk from the station, for several years before I recently changed jobs, and finding the right-sized work bag was a subject of primary importance to me. I finally settled on a rolling backpack from Samsonite that I decorated with a Snoopy luggage tag. I could fit everything into that bag but it was still small enough to comfortably take on the train. However, the bag did dictate some of my decisions - like the size of Christmas gifts I bought for the office! I still use it (and Snoopy) as a carry-on bag for air travel.